I Built A Bridge!

[lizgarf]

Sorry to bring bad news again....

Found another hen dead. Yesterday she was in the nest box and we just thought she was going broody. This morning she was dead. Her body is on the way to UCDavis. I just called in sick this morning and went early to get her in the mail. I am so sad that this is happening. I just cant figure out what is going on. All my other birds look happy and healthy. I am going to call today and see if they have any other news on the first body.

My son is going to have a talk with our neighbors and let them know we will be watching out for someone maybe trying to hurt the chickens. We also may have to get a camera out there along the fence line to maybe see if they are throwing something over. Just wish I knew so I could protect them from this. It feels so bad not to be able to help.

What is going on??????????????????????

I'm so sorry, 16P! I hope UCD gives you an answer soon.

 

[16 paws]

Thanks Liz,

Just talked to the Dr and she said tomorrow the rest of the results should be in. I asked her since they did find a trace of cecal worm and round worm if that could of killed her and she said no. I think I will treat my flock for worms today just in case since I have never done it. anyone have any suggestions on what to use? I heard that Valbazen is pretty safe. I have heard some stories about some products not working and being unsafe as well. I think people tend to disagree a lot on the subject of worming. I have never seen a worm in their feces so I thought it was ok not to treat them. I did use DE a few times in their food because I read it will help prevent worms.
Marie

 

[lizgarf]

I don't know anything about worms, Marie, sorry. I hope this morning has gone better than the last few.

So, I have an incredible story to share. Reggie barked me awake last night again (did I tell y'all about her scaring away the guy breaking into my car?). This time I could just barely hear a chicken distress call through her barking. We ran outside (Reggie pushed past me through the door), and while Reggie chased away the likely-culprit skunk, I entered the coop and didn't see anything at first, but then saw Rousseau, lifeless on the ground. I picked her up and saw the gash on her cheek, and then she suddenly awoke, squawking bloody murder!. I held her for awhile to calm her, and tried to think what to do. I figured out she was sleeping in the nest, and the skunk (or something else?) had grabbed her and was trying to cart her away until Reggie burst onto the scene. At that point, Reggie was distracted enough with trying to find the skunk, so I was able to carry Rou back to the house unhindered and put her in a carrier and returned to try to figure out how the skunk got in and out of the coop. No luck, so I put locks on the doors and nest box and hoped for the best. I didn't get much sleep between the worry over the hens and Reggie's not being able to contain her excitement about our having a chicken house-guest, but I am so happy to find everyone ok today and so proud of my farm dog!!

Today I'll talk to my Macgiver friend and see if the video gives us any clues and if I can figure out how the skunk got in. I had just wired over a big rat hole, and I don't think any of the other rat passageways are big enough for a skunk, but I don't know. There was a squirrel in the coop yesterday, but it got in through the run door.

Here's Reggie, intently watching Rou her in crate this morning.
.

Rou's wound, treated with antibiotic ointment left over from Grace's wound and new skin.

 

[16 paws]

Wow Liz,

Good job Reggie! I could hardly breath when I read you found her lifeless. Then to hear she was alive! Good job everyone on being down there quickly. That for sure saved her life. I love those happy endings. I am sure her wound will heal up quickly. How long are you going to keep her with you? Reggie is so cute in that picture by the way. I love the unconditional love our four footed friends have for us and the way they try and protect the family. They really are worth their weight in gold.

Let us know how she does...
Marie

 

[16 paws]

Ok,

The Dr. that is doing the necropsy recommended a wormer. I wonder if it has the same active ingredient as the one the feed store suggested, Strike 3. You mix it in with 50 pounds of food, it has vitamins and minerals and the eggs are safe to eat.

This is what she said:

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail....ferralID=6ea32bf6-e39b-11e4-82f7-001b2166c2c0

For sure the parasites were incidental findings, and they are not the cause of death. Although it is very common to find parasites in this kind of animals, I suggest to treat them in order to improve their sanitary state.

She said further test results will be in soon. She really doesnt know anything yet.

On a lighter note here is a picture of my littles. They are doing great.
Taffy is saying:

"Does anyone know if they make Rogaine for chickens?????

 

[lizgarf]

Thanks, Marie! Rousseau is doing really well. I had thought I might keep her isolated for awhile, but I put her in with the flock this morning and could see that she was going to be fine. I can't sing the praises of liquid bandage enough! She even laid an egg!! She's clearly tired, but as long as the wound stays clean, I think she'll be fine.

 

[16 paws]

Thanks, Marie! Rousseau is doing really well. I had thought I might keep her isolated for awhile, but I put her in with the flock this morning and could see that she was going to be fine. I can't sing the praises of liquid bandage enough! She even laid an egg!! She's clearly tired, but as long as the wound stays clean, I think she'll be fine.

Wonderful, I have never tried that stuff but it sounds like I need to have some on hand. There is always an emergency or two going on here it seems. LOL

Glad to hear she is doing so well.

Marie

 

[Teila]

Howdy Bridge Club

I have had all sorts of dramas logging onto BYC for the past few days; anything I selected prompted me with a ‘No data’ error. Seems to be OK now so time for some catching up!

TG I really only have room for two more, so I am going with the two I am pretty sure are girls. Because they are so beautiful, lots of people have told me to hang onto the two ‘Porcelain’s just in case but Cilla is getting a bit sick of the broody-pen and looking to bust back out into the garden. Going on Cilla’s past form, if I leave her with too many she cuts the cord and dumps them all (Tina’s hatch); if I leave her with just a couple (Blondie’s hatch) she seems to protect them for longer. This, plus integration will be much easier with only two bubs instead of five; especially if she does not cut the cord on the remaining two.

I would dearly love to keep one of the ‘Porcelain’s but their combs and wattles are red and far more advanced than the two I am hanging onto. Also, I would just be kidding myself and delaying the inevitable while getting even more attached than I already am.

On that note, I am probably going to jinx them now and they will turn out to be boys also, but the two I have decided to run on and believe are girls have now been christened with their names. The Frizzle is KiKi and the ‘caramel’ is Crystal

Congrats on the successful grafting .. adorable! Aaaaw at Tyra, what a sweet story and Miss Gracie is such a sweetheart for letting her snuggle.

Hello Milagros! Wow! What a save! Kudos

16 paws Again I am so, so sorry to read of yet another loss; so heartbreaking!
Those results cannot come soon enough!

Liz OMG! How did you feel when you saw Rousseau on the ground lifeless? I would have been devastated and dropped to the floor myself! I am so glad she was ‘playing dead’. Poor baby! Reggie is not only beautiful but a legend also .. cuddles and pats for her!

I am a little on edge myself at the moment; for a reason …..
My office is situated such that I can look out the front window watching the goings on in the neighbour for ‘entertainment’

Yesterday, the new people across the road were having something delivered and the delivery truck had reversed into their driveway with the cab being just level with the road. The delivery guys were inside with the owner as three teenagers walked past the truck. One, looking in through the windscreen must have seen something he liked on the front seat and tried to reach in through the passenger window to grab it .. he failed and kept walking. However, he must have changed his mind and came back for another attempt, failed again. At this point, one of the delivery guys came out, went to the front of the truck for the papers to sign or whatever and went back inside, leaving the door open! Would be thief was still lurking behind a tree next door. At this point I decided I had to tell the delivery guy because leaving the door open had just made it even easier for the thief. So, I went over and when I got there the delivery guy was just coming out of the house and I asked him if he was missing anything off his front seat or had something of ‘interest’ on there and told him what I had seen and gave a description of the would-be thief and where he was lurking. His iPhone was on the seat and this was what the thief was after. He was very appreciative and when they left, I saw them go in the direction of the thief and after a while they came back up the street.

About 20 minutes later, the same three teenagers walked back past our place and lingered out the front, taking a very good look at our place!

I am pretty sure I was seen going across the road and warning the guy and now I am a little concerned about retaliation. Luckily we are home most of the time and I have told my neighbour (Ex Policeman) what happened and he is going to listen out for anything out of the ordinary also.

I am sort of kicking myself for getting involved and bringing possible repercussions but I also could not just stand by and watch this guy steal someone else’s property!

 

[lizgarf]

Hmm, Teila, I think you did the right thing and you shouldn't kick yourself. Those kids now know that you're the kind to not keep quiet, and it would be very foolish on their part to mess with you. It doesn't sound like they suffered any serious consequences, so I think they'll forget about it pretty quickly.
But, if you're worried, then perhaps this is the perfect time to get a dog! If a genuine Aussie shepherd is half the guard dog that Reggie is, you and your family should be more closely-looked after than you could ever possibly want!

As if last night's bird drama wasn't enough, I heard a ruckus this evening and there was a blue jay with a claw stuck in a piece of netting, stuck to some wire fencing covering my vegetable starts on my deck! It took some time and dodging its harmless pecking, but I managed to liberate the little claw, and send him on his way! Somehow my neighbors' killer cat didn't wake up from her napping, about 20 yards away.

Not much else to report here. My friend was at a trade show all day and I couldn't figure out how to access the video footage without him, so I'm still waiting to figure out what happened. I suspect the skunk (or maybe my neighbors' cat??) got in through the nest box itself, so I'm locking that up at night. In the meantime, Frida has gone full-broody (what has it been, 2 weeks since she finished her epic 7-month broody stint?), so I'll be manually putting numerous birds on the roost, and Diego in the man cave. Bedtime is busy! And, I am incredibly tired after last night. I better get started now.

 

[Teila]

Thanks Liz

Hmmm, while I miss Charlie-Bear, I am not sure how Chimee, Syba and the gals would feel if I got a dog

I am pleased you managed to release the Blue Jay; I curse and swear at the food stealing Doves here but I still hate to see them hurting and rescue them from Crows or try and save them if they are in trouble.

It will be interesting to see just what got a hold of Rou and if you do see it again, kick it’s butt for me! Poor Rou!

I hate having to rehome my boys!

OK, I am probably going to ramble now

Whenever I give into a broody I beat myself up over the consequences of having boys and the worry of where they are going to end up. I can't keep them, I certainly can't even entertain the other alternative to finding them homes, so I have to trust my judgement and let them go.

I have been lucky in the past in that they have been taken by people who live on an acreage or are replacing a rooster who they lost. But, who knows? That could just be something they are telling me to make me feel better?

I have a lady coming tomorrow who may take all three .. while it would be good to rehome them together; who takes three possible roosters? Granted they are beautiful little boys but still

Aaargh! Next time I have a broody and I mention caving, please, please, please remind me of how I feel right now

Edited to Add Update: If my gut feeling says "No" to this lady coming out this morning, I have four other interested parties so at least I have some options